Space heater having heat-reflecting and air-heating deflectors



July 25, 1950 H. E. WINKLER ET AL 2,516,285 SPACE HEATER HAVING HEAT-REFLECTING AND AIR-HEATING DEFLECTORS Filed Sept. 15, 1947 Patented July 25, 1950 SPACE HEATER HAVING HEAT-REFLECTIhT G v ANDAIR-HEATINGDEFLECTORS Herman'E'. Winkler and Carl J. Winkler, Lebanon,. Ind.," as'signors to U. S. Machine Corporation,

Lebanon, Ind., a'corporation Application September 13, 1947, Serial No.,7 73.8 l ,f

4 claims. (01. 126-67) firms invention relates to a heat diffusing panel for'sp'ace heaters in the form of a series of heat deflectors designed to increase the heating 'efficiency in the lower regions sucha's the floor of a room or the like through a combination of radiation andc'onvection.

" Space heaters having 'theusu'al lou'vers provided in the casing do' noteificiently distribute the heat, particularly downward; but on the other hand they have theeifect of directing the heated air 'upward1y-.-',without any appreciable radiationdownwa'rdly.so that the upper strata of air in a room is highly heated whereas the lower strata and along the floor of the room where heat is most needed remains relatively cool. I

It is, therefore, the purpose of this invention to provide a heat diffusing panel mounted in front of the hot air drum of a space heater formed with a series of superimposed and spaced deflectors 'of substantially circular form adapted to direct the major portion of the radiant heat downwardly toward the floor with a minimum of upwardly and outwardly directed radiation. Thus, through the combination of radiant and convection heating the lower strata of the room receives a substantial portion of heat where it is most needed.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a space heater showing the diffusing panel mounted thereon.

Fig. 2 is a view of a space heater and heating drum with the diffusing panel removed therefrom.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatical illustration showing the deflectors of the panel in cross section and their relation to each other and the heating drum.

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2 with parts broken away.

In the drawings there is illustrated a space heater comprising a heating drum I0 in which heat is generated by the combustion of any suitable fuel, preferably fuel oil. Said drum is mounted upon a base II and is surrounded on one side by a back casing l2 spaced therefrom to provide an air circulating chamber. The usual oil burner feed is mounted at the rear of the casing l2 upon the base I l feeding fuel oil to the burner within the drum Ill.

Removably supported upon the base H and in interlocking relation with the casing 12 there is a diffusing panel formed of a series of superimposed and spaced deflectors l3. Said deflectors are each preferably semicircular-and of substantially circular contour in crosssectlon." They are each secured attheir'oppos'ite'ends to a sheet metal channel strip l4 adapted to engage and interlock with a flange l5 extending forwardly from each side of the casing l2. They are fur ther supported intermediate their ends by a ver-' tically extending decorativeplate l 6. The shields l3 have their ends flanged'dutwarjdly to provide wings |3a which abut against the innergsurface of the channel strip it, nesting jbetween'the side fl n there-Off Each of the deflectors 13" has its upper-e ge spaced substantially inwardly from the: "lower edge of the next adjacent superimposed deflector and slightly therebelow as best shown 'in Fig. 3. Thusspace'd, the'series of'defle'cto'rs mountedone'j above the other form asernicircular diffusing panel 'which'isfhld in proper spaced,'relation','to and conforms with the curvature of the heating f This arrangement of thedeflectors issuchthat radiant heat from'a'small' section of the'fdrurn isdirected radially and outwardly between the. upper andilower edgesof adjacent defleqtqrsfas indicated by the arrows A. 'Fro'rii themajor portion of the heating drum the direction of radiation may be downwardly between the upper and lower edges of adjacent deflectors in the direction indicated by the arrows B. Such radiation from the major portion of the heating drum as may be directed substantially outwardly is intercepted by the convex curvature of the refleeting back surface of the deflectors which causes downward radiation onto the outer concave reflective surface of the deflector immediately below from which there is an outward and downward radiation by reflection as indicated by the arrows C. The only upward radiation as indicated by the arrows D results from the heat imparted directly to the respective deflectors by horizontal radiation from the wall of the heating drum. Thus, substantially the greater portion of the heat generated by direct or reflected radiation will be downwardly and outwardly as indicated by the arrows A, B, and C, and there will be relatively little heat transferred upwardly by the heat conduction through the respective deflectors as indicated by the arrows D.

Mounted above the heating drum in there is provided a suitable dome ll formed with a series of slotted openings which may be controlled by any suitable damper construction. Thus, the heater is effective for generating hot air by the natural travel of air upwardly from between the deflectors 13 about the surface of the heating drum for discharge through the dome IT.

Therefore, it will be observed by reason of the heat diflusing panel having circular spaced deflectors-t I3; not only will the usualhot air be generated, but the major portion of the radiated heat will be directed outwardly and downwardly for eflectively heating the lower spaces of the room.

The invention claimed is:

l. A space heater comprising a heating drum for the combustion of fuel, abackicasi'ng spaced therefrom to provide an air circulating chamber and a base therefor, the combination therewith of a heat diffusing panel surrounding the-front portion of said drum in spaced relation thereto and secured at each sideto said back casing, said panel including. a series of superimposed deflectors: spaced. one above the otheryeach deflector being of substantially circular curvature hori- 'zontal; cross section. and having. a convex reflecti'ng; surface exposed to saidi'dr'um for receiving radiantoheat; waves'therefro'm and dire'cting'thein downwardly and outwardly;

2; A space heater comprising a heating drum for. combustion ofi'fii'e'l, a back ca'sin'gj spaced therefrom to rovide an air circulating chamber and a, base; therefor, the combination therewith of a heat' diffusing panel s'urroundingjthefront portion of said drum in spaced relation thereto means for: removably'securing said" panel to said? back casing adjacent the vertical" sides of saiddrum. whereby; said". drum wilf'be partially embraced. thereby saidl panel including, a. series ofi superimposed. semicircular deflectorsfspac'ed oneabove. theother each ofsaidl deflectors being subst'antiallyv circular in. 'horizontali cross section and having a convex reflecting surface exposed to said drum for receiving radiant heat waves therefrom and directing. them downwardly and outwardlvo 35A space Ii'eater comprising allieatin'g' drum for: the combustion"; of: ;fuel',, aback casing spaced in horizontal cross section, the convex surface of each deflector being exposed to said drum for receiving, radiant heat waves therefrom to direct them downwardly and outwardly.

4. A space heater comprising a heating drum for the combustion of fuel, the combination therewith of asurrounding casing spaced there-' from to provide an air circulating chamber, a portion of said casing including a series of superimposed deflectors spaced one above the other,

each of said deflectors being substantially of circular curvature inrhori'zontal cross section with its inner surface convex and its outer surface concave; said deflectors being sex-elated as to'emit horizontal radiant heat waves tnerebetween from said drum and deflect the heat waves received from said" drum on' their: convex surface" downwardly, a portion of said" downwardly deflected heat waves beingi deflected downwardly from the outer concave surface of the nextlo'werdeflector; 4 Y I I CARE J'I 'W'INKLERL.

REFERENCES GI'IED The. following references are'of record inthe file of this patent:

UNITEDF STATE-Si PAZ E'N'TS Francei Dec: 7 30,1 1919 

